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Sunday, 18 July 2010

This new Arcane Background is inspired by a discussion with vedic & Clint Black on the Savage Worlds forum. I've just introduced it into my campaign.

Arcane Skill: Invocation (Spirit)

Starting Power Points: 10 (but see below)

Starting Powers: 1

Aside from the major deities of the world, there are a huge variety of lesser entities (demons, devils, fey, angels, nature spirits, ancestral spirits, etc.) which can grant boons to those who enter into a pact or bond with them. Such bonds usually occur in one of two situations: a character who is in concordance with the entities with which he is bonded, or a character who has learned the arts of controlling various entities against their will.

Characters with this Arcane Background begin with a bond with a single entity. Each entity grants access to a limited number of powers, of which the character may choose one initially. New powers may be gained, as usual, by taking the New Power Edge, which grants either 2 new powers with an existing entity (to a maximum of 5 powers per entity), or a bond with a new entity, granting one new power.

Each entity has its own pool of Power Points (similarly to AB Weird Science), beginning at 10 PP. If the character learns the Power Points Edge, instead of gaining a flat increase of 5 PP, he gains a number of Power Points equal to his Spirit die type, which can be divided amongst the PP pools of all his bonded entities.

Maintaining an active power only impacts the use of powers granted by the same entity. However, as the character's powers are dependant on an arcane connection between the Binder and the entity, they are subject to effects which dispel or ward against spirits. If one of the character's powers is successfully targeted by the dispel power, his connection with that entity is disrupted, and requires a long ritual (2d6 hours) and a successful Invocation roll to re-establish.

Displeasure: On a roll of 1 on the Invocation die, the entity is displeased with the character, and refuses to grant further powers until it is appeased. Appeasement requires a long ritual (2d6 hours) and a success with an interaction skill of some kind (usually Persuasion or Intimidation).